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Antisemitism is a very real issue in our society. In fact, I'd go so far as to say it's a shameful, systemic and long-standing problem.
But the current, relentless focus on Labour antisemitism risks obscuring wider issues of racism and tolerance that plague our society.
But the current, relentless focus on Labour antisemitism risks obscuring wider issues of racism and tolerance that plague our society.
By saying this, I have no intention of invalidating the feelings of the Jewish community in this country.
I can see why many are fearful. After all, they've endured a long history of vile abuse and unfounded prejudice and I stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them in fighting this.
I can see why many are fearful. After all, they've endured a long history of vile abuse and unfounded prejudice and I stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them in fighting this.
But the extreme focus placed by our media on the singular issue of antisemitism in the Labour party does a huge disservice to other, oppressed minority groups - and to the wider spectrum of underprivileged people - in this country.
When we talk of fighting prejudice, we should be focused in attacking all such prejudice, otherwise we fail to address the real reasons why antisemitism continues to be an issue in our society. The fears felt by Jewish people must be about more than political point-scoring.
We live in a country where young black men are demonised, racially profiled and locked up in ridiculously disproportionate numbers. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/sep/01/young-black-people-jailed-moj-report-david-lammy
A country where Islamaphobia has become increasingly commonplace and where hate crimes against Muslim have hit record highs. https://edition.cnn.com/2019/08/18/uk/uk-islamophobia-boris-johnson-gbr-intl/index.html https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/02/how-to-tackle-islamophobia-the-best-strategies-from-around-europe/
A country that totally failed the Windrush generation, who gave so much to their adopted home and were rewarded with detention, deportation and a crackdown on their basic rights. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/apr/09/special-needs-teacher-uk-50-years-loses-job-immigration-status
Looking back at recent history, this is also the same country that greeted my family with signs of 'No Blacks, No Dogs, No Irish' when they arrived here in an attempt to escape abject poverty in Ireland.
So when we're urged to 'vote with our conscience' over antisemitism (essentially advocating Tories or Lib Dems over Labour), there's a wider context which can't be ignored. What's the implication of 'voting with your conscience' if it means voting against it on many other issues.
Study policies and actions rather than headlines. Labour isn't perfect (what mass political party is?) but its leader and members have a track record of fighting racism and are working to better understand and eradicate the problem of antisemitism.
The Tories, on the other hand, continue to weaponise antisemitism for their own political gain, with Liz Truss citing it in her response to Corbyn raising concerns about the NHS. This only undermines the issue rather than underlining its severity. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-nhs-trade-deal-trump-corbyn-brexit-general-election-manifesto-a9219566.html
Beyond that, this is a party that has emboldened and endorsed the far right, borrowing their rhetoric to attack immigrants, Muslims, disabled people and many more, creating a culture of fear around otherness. https://www.businessinsider.com/boris-johnson-islam-is-the-problem-and-islamophobia-is-a-natural-reaction-2018-8?r=US&IR=T
While Corbyn has consistently fought for the rights of underprivileged people, including Jews, Johnson has used terms such as 'bum boys' and 'picaninnies', referred to Muslim women as letter boxes and painted black youths as something to be scared of. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-question-time-debate-racism-muslim-gay-comments-columns-a9214561.html
This Conservatives will continue turning to fear-mongering and scapegoating, in order to safeguard the broken regime over which they have presided. One that has increased the gap between rich and poor and seen racism and hate crimes soar. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-48692863
Meanwhile, the Lib Dems consistently fail to offer any kind of robust challenge and even endorsed the Tories' deadly austerity programme. Is this really a society in which you can see incidences of racism, including antisemitism, being tackled in any meaningful way?
Our nation is in the midst of a fight for its very soul and only genuine change can halt our descent into a society that casts adrift the vast majority of citizens to protect the interests of a chosen few.
